Sick
by kiwi.bear
Summary: [[Sokai]] Kairi was sick, in more ways than one.


2.

My second fanfic. Third POV. Sokai is old school love, babiy.

_Utterly and totally pointless _(the ending _may_ surprise you, though).

. . . r & r like there is NO tomorrow. **♥ **

Disclaimer: Be thankful pitiful mortals. :p

**Sick **

_Kairi was sick, in more ways than one. _

☆Sokai

- - -

Kairi had a cold.

It had started with a slight flush of her cheeks and an extra sparkle in her eyes during their morning classes. She didn't talk much, merely gazing out the window towards the sea listlessly, resting her head in her hands quietly. She'd looked like she was lost in her own little world, something that piqued Sora's curiosity without question, causing him to bait her incessantly.

Kairi always talked. Alwaysalwaysalways. Between the long-winded essays and complicated Algebra problems Kairi always found the time to talk, whether it was catty gossip or just plain girl babble. That was just her, that was just Kairi. It was encoded in her DNA, part of what made her _Kairi_. Kairi always talked, and that was just a fact.

So when his eyes had met hers briefly a little aways across the aisle in third period and she had immediately glanced away (breaking the disagreement between violet-blue to darkened sapphire hastily) it had left him baffled and utterly perplexed. To say he had been shocked would have been a major understatement.

It was fourth period now and ever since then Sora had been trying (key-word: _trying_) but failing miserably to gain the red-head's attention.

"Hey… _hey_. Yoo-hoo. Yoo-hoo! Kai-_ri_. _Kairi_," Sora whined for the billionth time that day, speaking behind his hand as Mrs. Strife strode past in a whirl of pink, "would you quit ignoring me? I just wanna ask you a question. Pretty please?"

Red wine locks flounced in Kairi's face as she turned to spare Sora a glance over her shoulder. He smiled from ear to ear, happy that Kairi had chosen to acknowledge him at last. Light reflected off of the barrette he had given her for her birthday so and so years ago, causing his smile to turn into a full-fledged grin. His happiness was short-lived however as he caught her princess-like snort, watching confusedly as she turned back around to face the chalkboard, pretending to scribble down some more notes.

Sora pouted cutely, mustering the best puppy dog pout he possibly could. "Kairi," the spiky cinnamon-haired teen whispered urgently.

Kairi showed no signs of hearing him and remained silent, shoulders bowed, still scribbling away furiously on her paper.

"Kairi."

She ignored him.

"I mean it, Kai, I'm suuurrriooous. I'm _warning_ you."

Kairi's shoulders barely moved, but he had heard it: a giggle. Sora had always been able to make her laugh, no matter how foul of a mood she was in. Sora took pride in that for he positively, absolutely lovedseeing Kairi's smile. He especially loved being the reason that she smiled.

Sora ripped out a piece of loose leaf paper and crumpled it, chucking it at her head:

'SCORE!'

. . . only for it to be intercepted, easily caught a hairsbreadth away from Kairi's head.

Sora sunk in his seat, gulping.

"Is there any particularly reason for this disturbance, Sora?" Mrs. Strife asked, green eyes meeting his gaze unflinchingly. "Or do you just enjoy chucking pieces of crumpled paper at Ms. Takinawa's head?"

"Uhh…" was Sora's only ever intelligent reply. He squirmed beneath her gaze restlessly, rocking his chair back and forth.

"Oh, you don't have to explain. Perhaps a little reading is in order?"

"No…really that's not necessary," Sora stammered, blushing a brilliant crimson. He heard Tidus snicker to his right. "Could I just have it back? Please?"

"I'm afraid that's out of the question. Let's see what we have here," the teacher murmured, unfolding the note serenely. She cleared her throat and Sora groaned as he heard the metallic scrapes of desk and chairs moving, the class seemingly have come to life eager to witness one of their peer's misfortunes:

_4rm: Sora _

_2: Kairi _

_Color: Green _

_Song: Simple and Clean _

_Subject: cranberry fruit . . . is the ninja fruit of life!:D _

_Message: _

_so . . . whatcha up to? _(at this the teacher frowned, displeased at Sora's improper use of grammar) _Did you feed our goldfish babiy yet? I hope so, cuz I don't want what happened to Bobert to happen to her. Bobert WHO you ask? exactly. lol! _

_Anyways, well…I was just wondering why you haven't talked all class. Cat got your tongue? LOL. Eww . . . French kissing a cat? Yucky! Lol. Ok, but seriously you got me kinda worried here. I mean, I can expect this sorta stuff from Riku, you know when he goes into super!def funk emo mode? But from you, it's kinda scary. And unnerving too. write back and lemme know how things are going with you alrite? My ipod's battery is startin to die, and I'm bored. lol. Hit me up winever u get the chance 2. Xd _

_Less than three, _

_Sora _

_p.s…Tidus says hi. _

Selphie gushed loudly, Tidus snorted with laughter, Wakka chuckled and Riku turned bright red. Sora tapped Kairi on the shoulder, Mrs. Strife too busy attempting to silence the class' hysterics.

"Hey, you're not mad at me…right?" Sora asked completely unabashed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Sora nearly jumped when Kairi whipped her head around to meet his gaze heatedly, her face flushed and violet-blue eyes flashing.

"WOULD YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?" Kairi had snapped at him hoarsely, trembling from all her pent-up anger. Sora's sky-blue eyes widened considerably as Kairi gasped throatily, her hand going to her throat self-consciously.

And it had all gone down hill.

After vehemently denying that she had a cold, Kairi had stalked home by herself, irritated with Sora's attempts to tease her. By the time he caught up to her she was sitting on the edge of the sidewalk in the midst of a coughing fit. It had been on the tip of his tongue to tease her for being so stubborn, but when she'd looked up at him with those big azure eyes he had felt that sense of protectiveness surge forth in his chest that often crept up on him whenever she was near. Damn those puppy eyes.

Sighing irritably, Sora stared at her for a second in puzzlement, wondering for a moment in the back of his mind why he did the things he did for her. That was the answer in _itself_, Sora realized dully. Because she was her. She was Kairi.

He had always been looking out for her.

Turning away from her he got to his knees quickly, searching through his backpack and sifting through his gear determinedly. When he found what he was looking for at last, Sora offered it to her, silently steadying the water bottle for Kairi as she tried to swallow between coughs. When she was finished, he knelt in front of her much to Kairi's chagrin.

"Climb on my back; I'll carry you from here."

Her look was a mixture of surprise and embarrassment. "Sora…no," Kairi groaned.

He cut her off, just a hint of a grin quirking the corners of his lips. "Kairi, don't be stupid. At this rate you'll be unconscious by the time we get home and I'm not dragging your limp body up the stairs." He turned his head slight to regard her with one narrowed, blue eye. "Besides," Sora added, noting the way the cranberry-tressed girl kept looking from left to right as if half expecting someone to spot them, "who cares if someone sees us? It's not that big of a deal, unless you've got a reputation to uphold or something."

A lazy grin slowly spread over Sora's features as Kairi grumbled under her breath and clamored on, elbowing him purposefully in the ribs as she linked her arms around his neck like a child. He stood smoothly, hooking his own arms under her knees as he straightened, finding that her slight weight impeded him not at all. She was as small as his sister, Naminé, although he would never associate the word "delicate" with Kairi. Naminé had made herself into something similar to a wall flower, all delicate doily lace and sweet smiles. Sora was fiercely protective of her, batting off potential suitors like pestering fruit flies. It was like that with Kairi too, sometimes. But Kairi was nothing like his sister. Nothing like her at all.

The walk home was surprisingly peaceful; something Sora knew would not have been possible if Kairi hadn't been ill. About halfway there, her head wearily descended to his shoulder as she slipped into a restless nap, her breathing soft and shallow near his ear. She smelled of strawberries and cream, and something else he couldn't quite name (just distinctly Kairi). He thought about waking her up after the fifth guy smiled knowingly at him and flashed him a victory sign, but then thought better of it. After all, there really wasn't anything wrong with them thinking she was his girlfriend. Although, she might have killed him if she ever heard him voice such thoughts aloud.

By the time he got home he was tired and worried. Kairi had never been this quiet in her life and it was starting to grate on his nerves.

He managed to make it into his room without anyone noticing them. Carefully, he let Kairi fall back onto his bed, turning to watch her with a frown as her eyes fluttered open briefly, blurrily. Sora's mouth went dry. It had been such a long time since he'd had the chance to openly admire the sea beryl gems that were Kairi's eyes, that is, without fear of being caught in committing such an act. She had such a deep, cerulean color of blue that they seemed to stretch on like a vast ocean. No, not an ocean, but like a _sea_. Ocean didn't quite fit.

"I feel bad," she said, obviously a little disorientated.

"You look it," he smiled, affectionately brushing some of her red hair away from her hot forehead, tucking a strand behind her cute ear, "and you're burning up." Kairi smiled then, dazzling and bright with white teeth, before her eyes fluttered back closed again. She breathed back in with some difficulty, coughing a little, her voice sounding airy and light.

"You're eyes…are the prettiest shade of blue I've ever seen, Sora."

Alright, now she had done it. He was officially worried.

Which was why he now found himself sitting wrapped up in a blanket next to his own bed, faithfully watching his partner sleep, her small body dwarfed by the sheets he had covered her with, lips parted slightly as she breathed. She had managed to drink some chicken broth before falling asleep, a cool cloth pressed against her forehead to ward off fever. She coughed every now and then but seemed at ease, her fingers curled around his pillow.

As for Sora, he hadn't been able to sleep at all, and not because the floor wasn't all that comfortable. He just found that whenever he closed his eyes, thoughts of her would start bouncing around in his skull, driving him mad. Even when she was _asleep_ she was still nagging at him.

Well, it wasn't so bad really. After this she would owe him. The thought made him grin impishly.

He was still grinning when she woke a few hours before dawn, eyes hazy as she cast him a glance, still in a half-asleep state. Kairi sat up slowly, realization that she was in his bed settling over her like one of his warm blankets.

"Thank you," she said slowly, voice trailing off quietly.

Sora waved her off like it was nothing. "No, prob Kairi."

"Have you…been up all night?"

Judging by the way Sora's eyelids kept drooping Kairi already knew the answer to that. Kairi sighed with a tinge of exasperation that didn't quite reach her eyes, speaking in soft tones in the near darkness.

And they stared at each other – cue awkward silence.

"...Um," Sora said articulately, ten seconds later. Sora scratched a spot on the side of his mouth uneasily, convinced that he hadn't heard right. "What'd ya say?"

"I said: Get. In. The. Bed. Sooner preferably than later if you would…it's getting cold," Kairi said, pulling back the blanket to accommodate him. She was never one to beat around the bush.

Sora stared at her like she had just sprouted wings, awkward, looking unsure of himself as he stood up silently. He looked like he had just risen from the grave, his face turning red from embarrassment (and maybe something else). Kairi giggled.

"Are you just going to stand there or what…?"

Every rational thought in his mind told him to decline the offer, after all sleeping on the floor wasn't THAT bad. The sane part of his (what little he had) brain was quickly losing in a hopeless battle with the illogical, committal part whispering of sweet sin and temptation: to run away now and be embarrassed forever, or to join Kairi in his comfy, warm SOFT bed? 'Gee', he thought sarcastically, 'I wonder what I ought to pick.'

His body screamed _RUN AWAY RUN __AWAY!_, alarms going off in his head telling him that this was wrong, wrong, wrong and that he must be dreaming because the innocent, naïve, sweet angelic!Kairi that he knew would never _ever_ tempt him so. It was just incomprehensible.

So when Sora plopped his bottom on the bed beside her (causing the bed to squeak and bounce) and he felt a warm hand come to rest on his shoulder he looked up, blushing mad red like a fire truck as laughing beryl gem greeted sky-blue orbs.

The sight that met his cerulean gaze was, too put it in one word: greatly _disturbing_.

Like a train wreck everything in his mind just seemed to stop like clockwork and tumble and crash into one another _right there_, as slowly, ever so slowly, Sora took in the large grin beginning to spread over Kairi's face ominously. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as she began to scoot over closer to him, not once breaking eye contact, face partially obscured by brilliant, red hair. Well, she wasn't exactly grinning, actually. More like smirking. Smirking like she had _won_.

Sora blinked rapidly and began to twitch violently as she leaned over to whisper in his ear, shivering when her warm breath wafted against his cheek. "I got you in_ bed_ with me, Sora…"

Oh.

God.

The sexual innuendos…Sora's brain felt like it was about to explode from the sheer _hugeness _of it all.

"Pay back's a **bitch**, isn't it?"

Oh lordy.

Kairi was sick, in more ways than one.


End file.
